APS News No21

abingdon.org.uk/prep 11 Abingdon Prep Summer Concert The climax of Abingdon Prep’s musical year came with the Summer Concert, held at Abingdon School’s Amey Theatre. The packed audience was treated to a superb and varied programme, which showcased all of our instrumental groups and choirs together with songs from each section. From Year 3 to Year 8, the boys displayed superb musical ability. The concert’s backbone comprised individual performances by the Year 8 music scholars, whose sheer talent dazzled and impressed all. Orchestra began the concert with an ambitious selection from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals , including double-bass and French horn solos in ‘The Elephant’ and ‘The Swan’. Junior Choir’s lovely spiritual By and By followed plus two short pieces from Wind Band. Years 3 and 4 sang two songs, including The Skye Boat Song , and Chamber Choir performed an arrangement of The Rose by Debbie. Folk Group stayed ‘trad’ with Star of the County Down . Years 5 and 6 brought the first half to a close with one of Debbie’s songs and The Power in Me . In between, were trumpet solos from Ruairi and Zach and piano solos by the two Leos - including a mash-up of Grieg with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme devised by Leo. We resumed with Guitar Group’s In the Summertime , complete with sideburns, and Jazzband performed Chameleon by Herbie Hancock. Years 7 and 8 sang two songs, Sh-Boom! featured our first ever baritone section, and Wimoweh got everyone joining in. Senior Choir sang two songs from musicals, and a Year 8 group sang a Shakespeare/Debbie song When that I was . More solos featured a flute duet from Dilan and Leo, Toby’s music tech piece, and Daniel playing a Haydn rondo. A surprise farewell song for John Herrington was the Staff Band playing Hocus Pocus by Focus, complete with yodelling by the Year 8s, before all the boys joined in with a traditional Zulu song to close the evening’s music. Thank you to all the staff who helped and played, the visiting music teachers, especially Ilya, Paul, Helen and Christine on the night and Lenka for her support in the Music Department. An extra special thank you is due to Debbie, our Musical Director. Music at Abingdon Prep has never been better, and we will miss Debbie as she moves to work for the County Music Service.